"It Ain't Heavy, It's My School Bag!" - A heavy schoolbag need not bog you down, if you carry all your notes in a Palm Pilot! But before that time arrives, HealthAnswers has some great ideas on how to deal with it. - Dr Michael Chia -...

- Allergic conjunctivitis is swelling and redness of the membrane that lines the eye. It is caused by exposure to foreign matter. The affected part of the eye is called the conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is the mucous membrane layer that covers the white part of the eye.

- Acne is a common skin condition in which the skin pores become clogged. This causes pimples and inflamed infected abscesses, or collections of pus. Acne may occur on a person's face, neck, chest, and back. Eighty percent (80%) of all teenagers get acne.

- An anal fissure is a tear in the internal lining of the anus. This area is called the anal mucosa. This break in the anal lining often re-opens during bowel movements. The result is bright red blood and intense pain.

- Asthma is a common lung disease. In a person with asthma, the airways narrow as a result of inflammation within the airway wall, when exposed to different factors, or triggers. As such, individuals with asthma develop symptoms of widespread and variable airflow obstruction. These events can often reverse spontaneously or with appropriate medication.

- The three most common reasons people need glasses are far sightedness, near sightedness and astigmatism. Many people think astigmatism is a disease or neurological problem. It is not. It is an abnormality in the optical part of the eye. It produces a blurred image.

- Bleeding is any loss of blood from the body. Bleeding can occur either internally or externally. It can occur through a natural opening such as the vagina. Most bleeding occurs through a break in the skin.

- Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelid. It develops at the place where the mucous membrane on the underside of the lid joins the skin on the top of the lid. It occurs in both children and adults. The condition can be chronic and recur.

- Calcium is a mineral. It plays an essential role in building healthy teeth and bones. Unfortunately, most adolescents do not eat enough high-calcium foods. They are at risk of developing osteoporosis when they get older. Infancy, childhood and adolescence are critical periods for achieving peak bone mass. The skeleton increases in mass 3-fold in adolescence.

- Bruising is an area of discoloured skin. Bruising develops when the lining of small blood vessels is damaged, allowing blood cells to escape into the skin and tissues. This condition most often occurs after a person injures a particular part of the body.

- A burn is defined as any destruction of skin or body tissue resulting from heat, chemicals, or electricity. The severity of a burn depends on how much tissue is affected, and how deep the burn is. Burn severity can range from first-degree to third-degree.

- Hepatitis D is an infection and inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis D virus. It is one of several types of hepatitis. The hepatitis D virus needs the hepatitis B virus to be present to cause an infection. These 2 viruses may be acquired at the same time. Also, a person may already have a chronic hepatitis B infection, then catch hepatitis D.

Coeliac disease is a malabsorption syndrome. The intestine is not able to absorb vital dietary nutrients from foods. Due to a sensitivity of foods containing gliadin, an alcohol-soluble portion of gluten.

- Coeliac disease is a chronic digestive disorder that affects the small intestine. It can begin at any stage of life, from infancy through adulthood. The disease varies in severity from person to person. People with coeliac disease have an intolerance or a reaction to gliadin, which is a component of gluten. Gluten and gliadin are found in several common grains.

- The chickenpox vaccine is given to prevent chickenpox in children and adults. Vaccines contain weakened or dead germs that cause certain diseases. To fight these germs, the body's immune system creates antibodies. Antibodies are cells that attack foreign substances in the body. A vaccine causes the body to makes antibodies to the weakened germs in the vaccine. Some of these antibodies will stay in the body for long periods of time. How long they remain depends on which vaccine a person gets. If the person is later exposed to the disease, the antibodies multiply to fight it off.

- Child sexual abuse is any experience during childhood or adolescence that involves inappropriate sexual attention by another person. This person is usually an adult, but can also be an older child, teenager, or even a person the same age. It can take place within the family, by a parent, stepparent, sibling, or other relative. It also can occur outside the family by a friend, neighbour, childcare person, teacher, or random molester. Broadbent and Bentley (1997) from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare advise there were 4,862 substantiated cases of sexual abuse reported to state and territory organisations throughout Australia.

- A concussion is the most common form of head injury. Most concussions are caused by a blow to the head or sudden, uncontrolled, rapid movement of the head. A concussion may cause temporary symptoms but not permanent brain damage.

- Conduct disorder is characterised by repeated bouts of disruptive behaviour. The child or adolescent is a rule-breaker who ignores the basic rights of other people, causes physical harm to others or animals, steals, lies and shows other "bad" behaviours.

- The cornea is the clear window on the front of the eye that covers the coloured iris and pupil. There are different types of corneal ulcers. The ulcers may be cause by bacteria, a virus or fungus. The corneal tissue breaks down starting at the surface. Poor healing can cause an ulcer to form.

- Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease. CF occurs in 1 in 2500 births in Australia and is the most common genetic disease in Caucasian Australians. CF prevents the body from absorbing enough nutrients. This makes it difficult for people with CF to meet increased nutrient needs. As a result, people with CF may need to eat an enriched diet with more kilojoules and take extra vitamins and enzymes.

- Food supplies kilojoules which are units of energy. The body burns kilojoules to stay alive and to move. Kilojoules are a way of measuring the potential energy in foods. They also measure the amount of energy the body uses. There are only 3 nutrients that provide kilojoules in food: fat, protein, and carbohydrate. These 3 nutrients make up foods in all of the major food groups. Some foods have 1, 2 or all 3 of these nutrients. Even though it is not a nutrient, alcohol has kilojoules too.

Early Puberty - March 19, 2002 - You may have noticed that young girls seem to be maturing at a younger age and studies have confirmed it. But as Peta Newbold reports early puberty in girls has important clinical, educational, and social...

- Sunscreens and sunblocks are chemical or physical products used to protect the skin from sun damage which can lead to skin cancer, such as melanoma. Sunscreen products provide various degrees of protection against the sun's ultraviolet rays. Sunblock products prevent all ultraviolight from entering the skin. They often contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, and are used for high-risk areas such as the nose, lips, and shoulders.Chemical sunscreens and sunblocks protect the skin by absorbing visible and invisible, or ultraviolet, sunrays. Examples include: lotions gels creams lip balms spraysPhysical sunscreens and sunblocks protect the skin by reflecting, scattering, absorbing, and blocking sunrays. Examples of physical sunscreens include: clothing, such as shirts and pants and newer fabrics designed to block the sun hats sunglasses zinc creamWhat is the information for this topic?

- Fatigue is a condition in which a person becomes weary or exhausted. It is usually caused by overdoing some physical activity. It can also occur after a long period of mental stress. In some cases, it may occur for no clear reason.

- Eustachian tube patency describes a condition in which the eustachian tube is continually open. The eustachian tube is a structure in the ear that runs from behind the eardrum to the back part of the nasal cavity.

- A person who has difficulty breathing is having trouble moving air in or out of the lungs. This can be the result of an airway obstruction, disease, severe allergic reaction, injury, or other medical condition.

- Shock occurs when blood flow throughout the body is decreased and the body tissues don't get enough oxygen. This lack of oxygen causes injury to many body systems. There may be brain, kidney, or heart damage; loss of a limb; and intestinal problems.

- Removing a fishhook from the skin can be a difficult procedure. There are hundreds of different hook patterns. Hooks vary in size and shape according to their purpose. The parts of a hook include: point, which is the sharpened end of a hook that penetrates the fish's mouth barb, or the projection extending backward from the point of the hook bend, which is the bottom or curved part of the hook shank, or the upper portion of the hook that extends from the bend to the eye eye, or the hole or loop at the end of the shank through which the line is tiedWho is a candidate for the procedure?

- The term "fast food" generally refers to the type of restaurants that sell quick, inexpensive take-away food, but even supermarkets now offer quick and easy food choices. Fast food is often laden with extra kilojoules, saturated fat and sodium. It is possible, however, for quick meals to be nutritious. With the growing interest in a healthy diet, vendors of fast food are starting to provide more healthy choices.

- A heat emergency occurs when the heat-regulating mechanism in the body is not working correctly. The results of this malfunctioning can include high fever, collapse, convulsions, coma, and even death. A heat emergency generally occurs when the body is exposed to very high temperatures.

- Hives are red, itchy welts on the skin that come and go over the course of minutes or hours. All types of hives can cause itching. They usually form on the skin but sometimes hives form in the soft tissue of the mouth, eyes and throat.

- A splint is a rigid device that is used for supporting an injured body part. The use of a splint is usually considered to be temporary, to prevent movement until medical help is received. There are many splints that may be temporary but are used for longer periods of time. Sometimes people can remove their splints to change clothes and bathe and to reposition the splint.

- Vaccines contain weakened or dead germs that cause certain diseases. To fight these germs, a person's immune system creates antibodies which help the body rid itself of the germs and prevent infection. Some of these antibodies will stay in the body for use at a later time if needed. Later in life, if a child or adult is exposed to these diseases, the antibodies multiply and fight them off.

Meningococcal - how real is the threat? - January 22, 2002 - Meningococcal has rapidly become one of the most feared diseases in Australia over the past few years, largely due to a slight increase in the number of cases reported and...

- Any event involving severe loss of blood through the nose or the fracturing of bones in the nose is considered a nose emergency. Nose emergencies can also occur when an object is lodged in the nose preventing the person from breathing.

- A nose fracture is a break in the nasal bone. Though most of the nose is made of cartilage, a soft spongy material, the upper portion of the nose has a bone underneath it called the nasal bone. A nose fracture usually occurs after an injury to the face.

- Obesity is measured using body mass index or BMI. This refers to body weight relative to height. If a person's BMI is greater than 25 kg per metre squared, he or she is considered overweight. A BMI greater than 30 kg per metre squared is considered obese.

Trapped In The Net: Are You Addicted To The Internet? - If your terminal is the sole window to your world, you may be getting too virtual for the good of your job, your family, yes, even your most treasured personal relationships. - Siu...

- Physical abuse is forceful behaviour that can result in injury to another person. An abuser uses beatings to control the victim. The abuse rarely occurs just one time. Physical abuse may be accompanied by sexual and/or emotional abuse.

- Respite care is short-term, temporary care provided to people with severe disabilities, chronic illnesses, or terminal illnesses. It is designed to give families a break from the stress of daily caregiving. Respite care can be for a few hours, overnight, or for days. The amount of care can change with the needs of the family and/or the ill or disabled person.

Talk to Your Family Physician About Talking With Your Children About Tough Subjects - October 25, 1999 - Kansas City, Mo. - Sex. Alcohol. Other Drugs. Harassment. Eating disorders. Violence. Abuse. These are some of the toughest topics...

- A sprain is an injury that affects a ligament, a muscle, or a tendon. The sprain occurs when the ligament, muscle or tendon is extended beyond a greater range than normal for a particular joint. Ligaments are most often involved in sprain injuries.

The Secret Life Of A Bulimic (Part I) - Bulimics are often caught in a web of bingeing and purging. Merlene Michael of HealthAnswers finds out what is making women so wasted these days. - As a teen, Linda loved to hang out at the shops....

The Secret Life Of A Bulimic (Part II) - What makes a person vulnerable to bingeing and purging? In the second part of a series on bulimia, Merlene Michael of HealthAnswers discusses what you can do to overcome bulimia. - What Makes A...

Australian Council on Smoking and Health - ASH Australia - OxyGen: Young People Smoking - Interactive smoking prevention site for young people. - Quit Now - The National Tobacco Campaign - National Quit Smoking Line: 13 18 48

- Speech therapy is a service provided by a health care professional that helps a person improve his or her ability to communicate. This includes both speech, which is how sounds are made, and language, which involves understanding and choosing the correct words to use.

- Spleen removal, or splenectomy, involves surgically removing the spleen from the body. The spleen produces red blood cells and white blood cells in the body. It also stores blood. The spleen also filters out bacteria and old red blood cells from the blood. It is located to the upper left side of the abdomen, just in front of the stomach.

- Gonococcal (gon-oh-kok-al) infections are caused by the bacteria Neisseria (nye-sear-ee-ah) gonorrhoeae (gon-oh-ree). The infection is acquired through sexual contact or is passed from mother to baby during childbirth.

- Klinefelter syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs in males who have three or more sex chromosomes. At least two of the chromosomes must be X chromosomes, and one must be a Y chromosome. The condition causes males to have some female-like physical features.

- A sunburn is inflammation of the skin as a result of overexposure to the sun. The sun's ultraviolet rays destroy the outer layer of skin cells and the tiny blood vessels underneath and cause a first-degree burn.

- Psoriasis (sore-eye-i-sis) is an inherited disorder of the skin, causing red, scaling patches usually on the scalp, elbows, forearms, knees and lower back. The fingernails, palms, and soles of the feet can also be involved.

- Adolescence is the period of growth that bridges childhood and adulthood. This period includes puberty, or the development of sexual maturity. The physical changes of puberty result in both males and females being able to create babies. Adolescence begins when a child is 10 to 12 years old. It ends between the ages of 18 and 21.

- Many children seem to be lacking important information and guidance regarding exercise and nutrition. The result is that many children, especially teens, don't know how to manage their weight and are becoming either overweight or underweight. There is no universally accepted definition for overweight, however, a cut off point of either the 85th or 95th percentile of body mass index is generally recommended for children, and the 85th percentile for teens.

- Protein is made up of smaller units called amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids. The body can only make 13 of them; the other 9 must come from food. These 9 are called "essential" amino acids.

You and your husband are splitting up, so is your child, literally. Can you minimise the damage in any way? Koh Joh Ting of HealthAnswers reports. - Table 1: Rates of Divorce between 1993 and 1998 - Duration of marriage - 1993 - 1998 -...